"You have got to be harder on him than anyone else"
David Beckham has given strict instructions to Phil Neville regarding his son Romeo, stating that the Inter Miami boss needs to be 'particularly hard' on him.
Despite being a part owner of the American club and playing an important role in the creation of 'The Herons', David is keen to ensure that Romeo - who is the second eldest of his four children - is not given any special treatment, regardless of his surname.
“I think the first thing that David said to me was, 'You have got to be harder on him than anyone else'," said Neville, who was appointed as Inter Miami manager earlier this year.
“He has got to work harder than anyone else to get into that team because there will be questions, there will be expectations on his shoulders.”
The 19-year-old made his
professional debut for Inter Miami's Miami’s sister team - Fort Lauderdale CF - at the weekend, featuring for 79-minutes before being substituted in the 2-2 draw against South Georgia Tormenta.
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Although he was unable to make a significant impact on the USL League One encounter at Drv Pnk Stadium, Neville was complimentary of Beckham's performance.
“I thought he did really well," he said.
“I think the measure of his performance was that he was only planned to play 45 minutes, and he played nearly 80 minutes because he is a boy that is hungry.
“He has got a lot of pressure and expectation on his shoulders, but what he has got is his feet firmly on the ground.
“He knows he has got a lot of development to do, and he has got all the right attributes - character, determination, good person - to have a really good opportunity of making it in professional football."
The Inter Miami manager also discussed Romeo's standing amongst the Fort Lauderdale players, insisting that he is a popular figure within the group.
“He is so popular in the dressing room. He has obviously been brought up the right way by his parents," stated Neville.
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